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Thursday February 15,1996 Vol. CXXVII, No. 24
Headlines
Thompson will tough it out
USC Women's basketball top scorer Tina Thompson will play tonight despite a strained shoulder. Men's center Avondre Jones is back but won't play against Arizona State.
Sports, page 24
Minor flaws mar big budget drama
Despite superb production values, "City Hall" still can't deliver the goods, Starring Al Pacino, John Cusack and Bridget Fonda, the film has been long delayed and much anticipated.
Diversions, page 12
University isolates Local 11 Union
While the university espouses interaction with its surrounding community, Viewpoint writers Lupe Chavez and Sal Panuco think that should extend to the workers' union.
Viewpoint, page 4
F.Y.I.
Volunteer project in Downtown LA
"Doingsomething," a non-
Erofit volunteer network, is olding a community service project Saturday, Feb. 17 from 9 a.m. to noon. The project is open for anyone interested in participating.
Volunteers will help sort and package donated food items at a food bank that distributes food to more than 600 charitable agencies including various shelters, soup kitchens and more.
They will work side by side in a warehouse full of food donated by local markets and others.
Afterwards, volunteers are invited to a luncheon at a downtown restaurant.
"Doingsomething" holds community service projects year-round, and publishes a monthly newsletter announcing upcoming projects. Most projects last about four hours or less.
For more information, call the "Doingsomething" hotline at (310) 391-3907.
Protesters call for partner policy
Laura Lanchester / Daily Trojan
Demonstrators picket for the university administration to approve benefits for domestic partnerships Wednesday afternoon in Hahn Plaza.
By Jonathan Atienza
Staff Writer
Students marched in front of Tommy Trojan Wednesday afternoon, demanding that the administration approve domestic partnership benefits for students, faculty and staff. Some university organizations have campaigned against tne benefits for over a year.
Some benefits at stake include health insurance, access to health and counseling centers, housing and library and recreational facility privileges.
USC currently provides different benefit packages to the families of married students and married faculty and staff members.
"We're here to help the faculty and staff drive for partnership benefits as well as to introduce our own policy for students," said Karin Kimby, a graduate student and cochair of the student task force that organized the student campaign.
For nearly an hour, more than a dozen marchers circled through the center of campus chanting slogans, while others handed
(See Protest, page 16)
Stu-Q
hopefuls
debate
By Jovie Baclayon
Staff Writer
Seven Student Senate candidates on the Student Community ballot debated community relations and answered questions Wednesday afternoon in E.F. Hutton Park.
The seven candidates answered questions regarding campus safety, university image and activity programming from Community Senator Noemi Perez, Program Board Executive Director Sarah Szalavitz and community constituency member Troy Flowers.
"I heard everything I wanted to hear today," said Szalavitz, a senior majoring in political science. "(The candi-
(See Debate, page 2)
Health Center recommends mandatory insurance plan
Students without coverage could be required to purchase for fall semester
By Esther Ramirios
Staff Writer
Health insurance coverage may soon become mandatory for all USC students. Coverage is currently only required for international students and students at the Health Sciences campus.
According to Lawrence Neinstein, executive director of the Student Health Center, "the plan is just in the discussion phase." The proposal would make it mandatory for students who lack medical insurance to purchase at least a minimal plan. Coverage would cost between $500 to $600 for three semesters.
Students have mixed opinions on the proposed insurance plan.
"This is just another way for USC to get more money out of people's pockets," said freshman Evelia Guiterrez.
"(Currently) fifteen percent of students are uninsured.If they get hurt, they can't get help."
- Lawrence Neinstein
"If you don't already have insurance it's for a reason—you just can't afford it."
"The mandatory health insurance is a good thing," said Michael Ribak, a senior. "This
way, if (students) get hurt and have to be treated anyways, the taxpayers don't have to pav for
it."
The mandatory university insurance would cover the costs of consultations, surgeries and diagnostic tests like cranial axial tomography (CAT) scans, electroencephalograms, magnetic resonance imaging and other high-tech procedures. If approved, the plan would most likely take effect during the fall 1997 semester.
Students who are already covered by another form of insurance would not be required to pay the insurance fee.
"(Currently) 15 percent of students are uninsured," Neinstein said. "If they get hurt, they can't get help."
"A lot of campuses are moving toward mandatory insurance," he said.
(See Insurance, page 2)
AIDS screenings test counselor's resolve
By Erik Sanjurjo
Staff Writer
Anonymous HIV testing at the Student Health Center is available to anyone concerned about whether they have the virus, and anyone interested in learning more about the virus or safer sex.
The health center has students who volunteer as peer counselors, conducting closed sessions to inform test takers about HIV and safer sex issues.
One student learned of HIV counseling positions at the health center through an ad in the Daily Trojan, and has been a peer counselor for more than a year.
"There's no way to get people to get interested in (safe sex) unless they want to," said the counselor, who wished to have her name withheld.
Currently, efforts to educate the USC community are convincing only a percentage of students to use the health center's HIV testing services, she said.
"It's difficult to convince young people —
especially privileged people who are isolated to disease," said the counselor, a senior majoring in political science.
She has yet to give out a positive result in all this time, for which she said she is thankful. "I'm scared for their results too," she said.
When she learns of her first positive case, "I think it will be really hard...I'm almost positive I'll cry during the session," she said.
Her personal inspiration to become a peer counselor occurred when a friend of her family died of AIDS. She pointed to this event as the mot of her desire to stop the disease from affecting anyone else.
She said her experiences as a counselor have been varied. In some sessions, people have promised to change their sexual practices completely. Others nave threatened suicide if they received a positive result, she said.
"It's hard work. I come away with a sore throat every time. But it's really rewarding," she said.
The counselor said that most sexual
encounters experienced in college occur during the first two weeks of school. For students who live in university housing, condoms are provided and distributed bv most Resident Advisors.
Safer Sex
Last in a series
As an example, she described Welcome Week, when first-year women in the dorms often leave their doors open and the guys come preying, the counselor said.
"It's just one big date-fest .especially when older guys go lback to the dorms," she said. "No one has anything to do the whole week, and everyone's looking for security and comfort
"Freshman girls are so interested in belonging," she said.
(See AIDS, page .1)

Thursday February 15,1996 Vol. CXXVII, No. 24
Headlines
Thompson will tough it out
USC Women's basketball top scorer Tina Thompson will play tonight despite a strained shoulder. Men's center Avondre Jones is back but won't play against Arizona State.
Sports, page 24
Minor flaws mar big budget drama
Despite superb production values, "City Hall" still can't deliver the goods, Starring Al Pacino, John Cusack and Bridget Fonda, the film has been long delayed and much anticipated.
Diversions, page 12
University isolates Local 11 Union
While the university espouses interaction with its surrounding community, Viewpoint writers Lupe Chavez and Sal Panuco think that should extend to the workers' union.
Viewpoint, page 4
F.Y.I.
Volunteer project in Downtown LA
"Doingsomething," a non-
Erofit volunteer network, is olding a community service project Saturday, Feb. 17 from 9 a.m. to noon. The project is open for anyone interested in participating.
Volunteers will help sort and package donated food items at a food bank that distributes food to more than 600 charitable agencies including various shelters, soup kitchens and more.
They will work side by side in a warehouse full of food donated by local markets and others.
Afterwards, volunteers are invited to a luncheon at a downtown restaurant.
"Doingsomething" holds community service projects year-round, and publishes a monthly newsletter announcing upcoming projects. Most projects last about four hours or less.
For more information, call the "Doingsomething" hotline at (310) 391-3907.
Protesters call for partner policy
Laura Lanchester / Daily Trojan
Demonstrators picket for the university administration to approve benefits for domestic partnerships Wednesday afternoon in Hahn Plaza.
By Jonathan Atienza
Staff Writer
Students marched in front of Tommy Trojan Wednesday afternoon, demanding that the administration approve domestic partnership benefits for students, faculty and staff. Some university organizations have campaigned against tne benefits for over a year.
Some benefits at stake include health insurance, access to health and counseling centers, housing and library and recreational facility privileges.
USC currently provides different benefit packages to the families of married students and married faculty and staff members.
"We're here to help the faculty and staff drive for partnership benefits as well as to introduce our own policy for students," said Karin Kimby, a graduate student and cochair of the student task force that organized the student campaign.
For nearly an hour, more than a dozen marchers circled through the center of campus chanting slogans, while others handed
(See Protest, page 16)
Stu-Q
hopefuls
debate
By Jovie Baclayon
Staff Writer
Seven Student Senate candidates on the Student Community ballot debated community relations and answered questions Wednesday afternoon in E.F. Hutton Park.
The seven candidates answered questions regarding campus safety, university image and activity programming from Community Senator Noemi Perez, Program Board Executive Director Sarah Szalavitz and community constituency member Troy Flowers.
"I heard everything I wanted to hear today," said Szalavitz, a senior majoring in political science. "(The candi-
(See Debate, page 2)
Health Center recommends mandatory insurance plan
Students without coverage could be required to purchase for fall semester
By Esther Ramirios
Staff Writer
Health insurance coverage may soon become mandatory for all USC students. Coverage is currently only required for international students and students at the Health Sciences campus.
According to Lawrence Neinstein, executive director of the Student Health Center, "the plan is just in the discussion phase." The proposal would make it mandatory for students who lack medical insurance to purchase at least a minimal plan. Coverage would cost between $500 to $600 for three semesters.
Students have mixed opinions on the proposed insurance plan.
"This is just another way for USC to get more money out of people's pockets," said freshman Evelia Guiterrez.
"(Currently) fifteen percent of students are uninsured.If they get hurt, they can't get help."
- Lawrence Neinstein
"If you don't already have insurance it's for a reason—you just can't afford it."
"The mandatory health insurance is a good thing," said Michael Ribak, a senior. "This
way, if (students) get hurt and have to be treated anyways, the taxpayers don't have to pav for
it."
The mandatory university insurance would cover the costs of consultations, surgeries and diagnostic tests like cranial axial tomography (CAT) scans, electroencephalograms, magnetic resonance imaging and other high-tech procedures. If approved, the plan would most likely take effect during the fall 1997 semester.
Students who are already covered by another form of insurance would not be required to pay the insurance fee.
"(Currently) 15 percent of students are uninsured," Neinstein said. "If they get hurt, they can't get help."
"A lot of campuses are moving toward mandatory insurance," he said.
(See Insurance, page 2)
AIDS screenings test counselor's resolve
By Erik Sanjurjo
Staff Writer
Anonymous HIV testing at the Student Health Center is available to anyone concerned about whether they have the virus, and anyone interested in learning more about the virus or safer sex.
The health center has students who volunteer as peer counselors, conducting closed sessions to inform test takers about HIV and safer sex issues.
One student learned of HIV counseling positions at the health center through an ad in the Daily Trojan, and has been a peer counselor for more than a year.
"There's no way to get people to get interested in (safe sex) unless they want to," said the counselor, who wished to have her name withheld.
Currently, efforts to educate the USC community are convincing only a percentage of students to use the health center's HIV testing services, she said.
"It's difficult to convince young people —
especially privileged people who are isolated to disease," said the counselor, a senior majoring in political science.
She has yet to give out a positive result in all this time, for which she said she is thankful. "I'm scared for their results too," she said.
When she learns of her first positive case, "I think it will be really hard...I'm almost positive I'll cry during the session," she said.
Her personal inspiration to become a peer counselor occurred when a friend of her family died of AIDS. She pointed to this event as the mot of her desire to stop the disease from affecting anyone else.
She said her experiences as a counselor have been varied. In some sessions, people have promised to change their sexual practices completely. Others nave threatened suicide if they received a positive result, she said.
"It's hard work. I come away with a sore throat every time. But it's really rewarding," she said.
The counselor said that most sexual
encounters experienced in college occur during the first two weeks of school. For students who live in university housing, condoms are provided and distributed bv most Resident Advisors.
Safer Sex
Last in a series
As an example, she described Welcome Week, when first-year women in the dorms often leave their doors open and the guys come preying, the counselor said.
"It's just one big date-fest .especially when older guys go lback to the dorms," she said. "No one has anything to do the whole week, and everyone's looking for security and comfort
"Freshman girls are so interested in belonging," she said.
(See AIDS, page .1)